Royal Yacht Mary

The Discovery of The First Royal Yacht

On the night of 25 March 1675 the first royal yacht foundered off Anglesey on her way from Ireland to Chester. The circumstances have always been a mystery. When the wreck was discovered in 1971 it was hoped some of the questions would be answered, but this was not the case. The subsequent excavation led to questions in Parliament and the demand for greater legal protection for wrecks.

Matthew Tanner explores this intruiging saga and provides a gripping and authoritative account of the disaster, the discovery of the wreck and its excavation. The story is completed by a catalogue of the finds and a full examination of the archaeological evidence.